Cartier Ballon Bleu Silver Diamond Dial Purple Leather Ladies Watch WE902040

   
Antiquorum's May auction of "Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces", held on Sunday, May 16 at the Geneva Mandarin Oriental, totaled 7,675,999 CHF, with 80% of the lots sold. This brought the total of Antiquorum's spring sales to 14,133,936 CHF.

In addition to b in-room attendance, there were many telephone and Internet bidders, with international participation coming from Hong Kong, Singapore, The Netherlands, Belarus, China and Japan.
The top lot of the auction was the unique and exceptional Vacheron & Constantin "30 days, Constant Force" clock made in 1933 (lot 579). This Art Deco masterwork brought an impressive CHF 242,500.
Other outstanding clocks achieving noteworthy results were the Breguet silver humpback carriage clock sold to the Marquise de Bethisy (lot 549), the most complicated known Breguet humpback clock, which sold for CHF 200,500; and the Cartier rock crystal desk clock (lot 578) which attained CHF 100,900.
Etienne Lemenager, Director & Watch Expert at Antiquorum Geneva, noted: "The results obtained today for these exceptional clocks show that highly technical movements combined with perfect aesthetics continue to have a b appeal for sophisticated and demanding collectors the world over".
Another of the sale's highlights was the Louis Audemars "La Russe II" (lot 451). One of the most important complicated watches of the 19th century with Julian & Gregorian double perpetual calendar, two time zones, minute-repeating and chronograph functions, it sold for CHF 200,500.
Rolex sports watches obtained excellent results. Lot 384, the Rolex COMEX Oyster Perpetual, Ref. 5514, went for an impressive CHF 170,500, while the Military Submariner Rolex, Ref. 5517, made in 1972 for the British Military (lot 159) was hammered down at CHF 134,500. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Comex, Ref. 1665 (lot 160), attained CHF 122,500; and the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date, Explorer II, Ref. 1655, "Spade of Oman" (lot 535) brought CHF 110,500.
Collectors of Audemars Piguet timepieces bid actively on the Royal Oak Offshore Automatic "End of Days", No. 428/500 (lot 268), which went for more than double the low estimate at CHF 60,000. This limited edition was made in 2000 with the collaboration of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Patek Philippe wristwatches also achieved remarkable prices, with the Ref. 130 (lot 567), selling for CHF 170,500, the white gold Patek Philippe Ref. 5970 G (lot 512), reaching CHF 116,500, and the Ref. 3970 E second generation (lot 440) going for CHF 86,500.
The second session opened with a special "Reverso Chapter", celebrating the 80th anniversary of the iconic watch. The selection of 35 exceptional Reverso watches drew great interest from collectors, leading to an outstanding total of CHF 618,875, with all lots sold. Bidding was fierce, particularly for the original watches from 1931, which achieved incredible results including several record prices. The highlight was undoubtedly the 1931 steel Reverso Ref. 201 with red lacquered dial (lot 225), which reached the astounding record price of CHF 35,000 - over 6 times the low estimate.
The 1933 Staybrite Reverso Ref. 201 with chocolate dial (lot 226) obtained an impressive CHF 30,000, or almost 5 times the low estimate.
Lot 229, the King's Royal Rifle Corps Reverso Ref. 201, made in 1936, was hammered down at CHF 31,250.
Modern Reverso timepieces also did extremely well: the Limited Edition "Reverso Four Seasons" Set No. 01/25 made in 1996 (lot 255), was acquired for CHF 134,500. The only Reversos to be made with enamel dials, these watches were sold exclusively by Jaeger-LeCoultre; it is extremely rare to find an entire set that has remained complete.
The Jaeger-LeCoultre "Reverso - Tourbillon Platinum Number Two", made in a limited edition of 500 pieces in 2003 (lot 253), went for CHF 50,000, while the "Reverso - Repetition Minute", made in a limited edition of 500 pieces in 1994 (lot 252), brought CHF 31,250; and the "Reverso Septantieme - 8 Days", made in a limited edition of 500 pieces to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the legendary "Reverso" model in 2002 (lot 254), sold for CHF 30,000.
Julien Schaerer, Managing Director & Watch Expert of Antiquorum Geneva, commented: "We are delighted that our collaboration with Jaeger was such a tremendous success. This sale, along with Jaeger's launch of their Tribute to Reverso watch, have shown a spotlight on the fantastic history of the Reverso and have given collectors new understanding and appreciation for this iconic wristwatch, which richly deserves the amazing results obtained."
Antiquorum's next auction will take place on Wednesday, June 8 in New York.

The "top lots" for the May 15th auction are as follows:

LOT 579
Vacheron & Constantin - A Unique Art Deco Masterwork - 30-Day Duration Clock with Constant Force Escapement Vacheron & Constantin, Geneve, Suisse, "30 Days, Force Constant". Made in 1933. Exceptional and unique, Art Deco, rock crystal and chrome, 30-day going, two-train, skeletonized clock with Philippe Rene Jaccard's Swiss patent No. 142508 constant force escapement of 1930.

LOT 549
Breguet - A La Marquise de Bethisy - Silver Carriage Clock with 10 Complications with Original Box & Key - The Most Complicated Breguet Hump-Back Clock Known Breguet, "Montre de Carosse". Sold to The Marquise de Bethisy on May 6th, 1878, for 4000 Francs. Extremely fine and important, complicated, grande and petite sonnerie striking and repeating, 8-day going, silver hump-back carriage clock with quadruple digital annual perpetual calendar, alarm, moon phases and equation of time. Accompanied by the original Breguet gold-tooled red morocco travelling case, Breguet silver key and certificate.

LOT 451
Louis Audemars - "La Russe II" - One of The Most Important Complicated Watches of the 19th Century - The Unique Julian & Gregorian Double Perpetual Calendar, Two Time Zone, Minute-Repeating and Chronograph Watch of 1873 Louis Audemars, "Grande Complication", No. 12199, retailed by G. Aspe, Paris. Started in April 1873, finished circa 1880, sold by Aspe, Paris, to Monsieur P. Hebert on June 23, 1896 for 3240 Francs. Highly important, unique and exceptional, large, double perpetual calendar for Julian and Gregorian calendars, minute-repeating, two time zone, antimagnetic, 18K pink gold, keyless pocket watch with chronograph, central progressive 60-minute register, moon phase, lunar calendar and "reference d'heure" world-time calculation chart.

LOT 567
Patek Philippe - Ref. 130 - Steel. Patek Philippe & Co., Ref. 130. Made in 1941 and sold on March 3rd, 1943. Very fine and rare, "Staybrite" stainless steel wristwatch with square button chronograph, register, tachometer.

LOT 384
Rolex - Ref. 5514 - COMEX - No Gas Valve Rolex, Oyster Perpetual, "Submariner 660 ft = 200m", Ref. 5514/5513. Made for COMEX in 1974. Fine and very rare, center seconds, self-winding, waterresistant, stainless steel diver's wristwatch with a stainless steel Rolex Fliplock Oyster bracelet. Accompanied by a COMEX knife, flashlight, depth gauge, and paperwork including dive logs and identification.
LOT 159
ROLEX - Ref. 5517, Military Submariner Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual, Submariner, 660 ft=200 m.", Ref. 5517/5513. Made in 1972 for the British Military. Very fine and rare, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel military diver's wristwatch with fixed bar lugs.

LOT 255
Jaeger-LeCoultre - Reverso Grande Taille Mucha's Four Seasons - Limited Edition Set No. 01 Jaeger-LeCoultre, "Reverso Four Seasons", No. 01/25, Ref. 276.1.62. Made in a limited edition of 25 sets in 1996. Exceptionally fine and rare set of four rectangular, 18K yellow gold reversible wristwatches with 18K yellow gold deployant clasps, each with a painted on enamel depiction of one of the seasons by Miklos Merczel after Alfons Mucha's celebrated series of Art Nouveau paintings, the only Reversos ever made with enamel dials. Accompanied by original box and certificate. The four watches: Printemps; Ete; Automne; Hiver.

LOT 160
Comex Sea Dweller, Ref. 1665, Rail Dial Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual, Comex, 2000ft./600 m, Superlative Chronometer, Officially Certified", Ref. 1665. Made in 1980. Fine and extremely rare, center-seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, stainless steel diver's chronometer wristwatch with date and a stainless steel Fliplock Oyster bracelet.
LOT 512
Patek Philippe Ref. 5970 White Gold Patek Philippe, Geneve, Ref. 5970 G. Made circa 2006. Very fine, water-resistant, 18K white gold wristwatch with square button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases, 24 hour indication, tachometer.
LOT 535
Rolex, Ref. 1655, Spade of Oman Rolex, "Oyster Perpetual Date, Explorer II", Ref. 1655. Made in 1974, retailed by Asprey, London. Fine and extremely rare, center seconds, self-winding, waterresistant, stainless steel wristwatch with date, special 24-hour bezel, large orange arrow 24-hour hand.